This invention relates to an adjustable leveling foot assembly which is capable of varying support on the underside of a housing. More particularly, this foot assembly is provided for purposes of leveling a postal scale.
When placing items, for example envelopes or packages, on top of a postal scale it is desirable that the weighing platform be level so as not to encourage slippage or movement of the mailpiece while atop the platform. Leveling is also desirable in order to provide a strictly normal force on the postal scale load cell transducer thereby avoiding errors due to any horizontal components. Often at the underside of a scale housing is located a plurality of leveling feet for the purpose of leveling the upper top portion of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,089 discloses leveling feet which are on threaded shafts and received at the base of the housing. Typically when adjusting the feet for leveling in these prior art systems, the user must turnover the housing to reduce the weight pressure on the feet in order to turn the feet in the desired direction to adjust the height of the feet. Adjusting of the feet typically becomes a trial and error process which can lead to numerous overturns of the housing until satisfactory leveling is achieved.
Numerous overturns of the housing being made over time is detrimental to the electronic circuitry, displays, and the like which comprise parts of the scale unit. Long-term stability and accuracy of these parts is reduced.
Assuming adjustment of the feet is sought in this prior art system without overturning the housing unit, weight pressure will produce strain on each of the feet rendering it difficult to easily rotate the feet. Additionally, the access to such feet in order to rotate is difficult and time-consuming depending upon the relative location of the feet in proximity to the periphery of the housing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a leveling foot assembly which permits the user to easily and quickly adjust the desired height of each foot.